Meng Qiuqiu reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, finely crafted metal box. Without hesitation, he handed it over.
"Brother Xiao Mu, this is the spirit source you asked for."
Zhao Mu, who had been resting on his bed, immediately sat upright. His eyes lit up slightly as he accepted the box.
"Thank you," he said sincerely.
Strictly speaking, this wasn't just a simple transaction.
The one million Xuanfeng coins used to purchase these spirit sources had come from Meng Qiuqiu himself. It was more of a gift—a gesture of goodwill rather than a loan.
Meng Qiuqiu grinned, his expression carrying a hint of mischief.
"Think of it as an investment," he said. "I'm betting on a future Divine Domain Jinhai Master."
Though his tone was playful, the sincerity behind his words was unmistakable.
Zhao Mu didn't say anything further. Instead, he opened the box.
Inside lay two spirit sources—condensed from the hearts of exotic beasts.
The moment the lid lifted, a dense aura of spiritual energy filled the air. The pressure alone made it clear—these were high-quality spirit sources, no weaker than the ones Liang Gongchi had previously given him.
Zhao Mu took a deep breath, then turned to Meng Qiuqiu.
"Close the door. Don't let anyone disturb me."
At the side, Zhuo Yun—who was lifting weights in a sleeveless shirt and loose shorts—paused mid-rep.
"You're not planning to absorb them here, are you?" he asked in surprise. "Isn't that too risky?"
Absorbing spirit sources required intense concentration.
Even more so than meditation.
If anything went wrong—even slightly—the violent remnants of exotic beast energy within the spirit source could backfire, causing severe damage.
Those from wealthy families usually prepared specialized rooms for such cultivation.
Zhao Mu… had no such luxury.
But he simply smiled faintly.
"It's fine," he said calmly. "I can handle it."
He sat cross-legged on the bed.
Meng Qiuqiu walked over and locked the door from the inside without another word.
Zhao Mu then placed both spirit sources directly into his palms.
Zhuo Yun's eyes widened.
"Wait—you're absorbing both at once?!"
He was about to protest—
But Lu Yan, sitting nearby, quietly raised a hand and stopped him, shaking his head.
At this point, it was too late.
Zhao Mu had already begun.
Absorbing the Spirit Sources
Inside Zhao Mu's body, everything moved with precision.
His Spiritual Energy Circulation proficiency had already reached 258.
His Spiritual Control stood at 75.
For him—
Controlling two private-level spirit sources simultaneously was not impossible.
He closed his eyes.
His consciousness sank inward.
He connected with his spirit source sea—the reservoir of power located behind his forehead.
Then, slowly, he began guiding the energy.
The spirit sources in his palms trembled slightly as strands of energy flowed into his meridians.
The process was familiar.
But not without danger.
As the energy entered his body—
A violent aura surged with it.
Killing intent.
Resentment.
The lingering will of the exotic beasts before their deaths.
Zhao Mu's expression remained calm.
His breathing slowed.
Steady.
Controlled.
He allowed the energy to circulate through his meridians, refining it bit by bit before guiding it into his spirit source sea.
Time passed.
Minute by minute.
The room remained silent.
No one dared to speak.
Zhuo Yun watched nervously, sweat forming on his palms.
Lu Yan, however, remained composed, his gaze fixed on Zhao Mu with quiet interest.
Half an hour later—
Zhao Mu finally opened his eyes.
The two spirit sources in his hands had turned dull and lifeless.
Drained completely.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Breakthrough
"Combat Level 4…"
Zhao Mu exhaled slowly.
He could feel it.
The change.
The spirit energy within his body had increased by nearly seventy percent.
His spirit source sea had expanded.
His meridians felt fuller, stronger.
But at the same time—
There was a sense of strain.
"This is the limit for now…"
He understood clearly.
He couldn't absorb more spirit sources immediately.
Not only because of cost—
But because his body needed time to adapt.
If cultivation were compared to weapons—
Then his previous state had been like wielding a pistol.
Now—
He had suddenly upgraded to a sniper rifle.
More power.
But also—
More difficulty.
He needed time to stabilize.
To adapt.
To master this new level of strength.
Only then could he continue advancing.
Still—
This was more than enough.
"Combat Level 4… I'm no longer falling behind."
He glanced around the room.
Among the new recruits, he was still not at the top.
But—
With his physical strength and control—
He was confident.
Except for two people.
Mo Guanguan.
And Lu Yan.
Unseen Strength
Zhao Mu's gaze fell on Lu Yan.
The tall young man sat curled up on a chair, hugging his knees—his usual habit.
They hadn't fought before.
But Zhao Mu still remembered clearly—
The black flame blade Lu Yan had summoned during training.
That power…
Had been terrifying.
"A-grade talents…" Zhao Mu muttered softly.
"They really are monsters."
Such individuals were favored by heaven.
As long as they cultivated normally—
They would inevitably become core forces in any army.
"Still…"
Zhao Mu's eyes hardened slightly.
"I won't lose."
Because his own talent—
Though starting at E-grade—
Had no limits.
The Next Evolution
That night, Zhao Mu continued his training.
His Introductory Halberd Technique, which he had practiced tirelessly, finally reached 100 proficiency.
At that moment—
A notification appeared.
Introductory Halberd Technique has evolved.
Second Stage unlocked: Hegemon's Formation-Breaking Halberd.
Zhao Mu's eyes widened slightly.
"An Intermediate Combat Technique…"
In Qingfeng Camp, such techniques were reserved for elite recruits with B-grade talent or higher.
Others would need to spend enormous amounts of credits to obtain them.
And yet—
He had acquired one naturally.
Through mastery.
More importantly—
This technique had evolved specifically for him.
It perfectly matched his cultivation method.
There was no resistance.
No incompatibility.
Only smooth, natural control.
Training the Halberd
The next day—
Zhao Mu entered a training room.
In his hands—
A fifty-jin heavenly halberd.
Heavy.
Cold.
He took a deep breath.
Then—
He began.
Spirit energy surged through his body, flowing from his core into his arms—
And into the halberd.
A crimson glow flickered along its blade.
The moment he took the opening stance—
His expression changed.
"…So heavy."
The halberd felt as if it weighed a thousand jin.
His arms trembled slightly.
But he gritted his teeth.
"Move!"
With a sudden burst of strength—
He swung.
BOOM—!!
The air exploded.
A crimson arc tore through space.
Layers of blood-colored shadows overlapped, forming a terrifying vision.
A chilling killing intent filled the room.
Violent.
Ferocious.
Uncontrollable.
It felt as if everything in its path would be torn apart.
Zhao Mu's breathing grew heavy.
His body trembled slightly.
Before he could complete the technique—
His spirit energy ran dry.
He was forced to stop.
"…Too exhausting."
He wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"No wonder higher-level techniques have higher requirements."
Even at Combat Level 4—
He could barely use it.
But instead of frustration—
A smile appeared on his face.
"Good."
The stronger the technique—
The greater the reward.
Unlimited Growth
Zhao Mu sat down and began meditating.
His breathing gradually steadied.
His energy recovered.
His gaze shifted—
Toward the faint illusion of the demon clown.
A grin slowly spread across his face.
"My talent may start at E-grade…"
"But once I reach full proficiency—"
"It becomes S-grade."
The demon clown was like a machine with infinite acceleration.
Slow at the beginning.
But unstoppable in the long run.
The further he went—
The stronger he would become.
After a short rest—
Zhao Mu stood again.
He gripped the halberd tightly.
His eyes burned with determination.
"Again."
The crimson light flickered once more.
The halberd roared through the air.
And this time—
He lasted longer.
A Path Without Limits
Hegemon's Formation-Breaking Halberd
Intermediate Combat Technique
Proficiency: 101
Zhao Mu exhaled deeply.
Step by step.
Strike by strike.
He was moving forward.
Toward a future—
With no limits.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)